Reinforced concrete sectional conduit.



PATENTED JULY 10, 1906. H. J. KEENAN & E. J. TOBIN.

REINFORCED CONCRETE SEGTIONAL GONDUIT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1906.

ATT'YJ.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron;

HUGH J. KEENAN AND EDMUND J. TOBIN, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN,

ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO STEPHEN H. CARROLL, OF .JACK- SON MICHIGAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1o, 1906.

Application filed February 23, 1906. Serial No. 302,516.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HUGH J. KEENAN and EDMUND J. ToBIN, citizens of theUnited States of America, residing at Jackson, in the county of Jacksonand State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Reinforced Concrete Sectional Conduits, ofwhich the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to sectional conduits, such as are employed in thelaying of sewers and for similar purposes; and the invention consists,first, in the novel means for drawing and locking the sections inabutting contact with each other, and, further, in the peculiarconstruction and airangement of parts, as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of theconduit. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the opposite end thereof.

' Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a plurality fastening devices.

of conduits connected to each other. Fig. 4 is a perspective viewshowing one of the locking devices, and Fig. 5 is an elevation of one ofthe reinforcing members for the conduit.

Heretofore sectional conduits have been made in which the adjacentsections have their abutting ends secured to each other by It has beenfound, however, that in the laying of a large conduit it isimpracticable to draw the sections into firm contactwith each other, andit has therefore been necessary to depend upon the cement in the jointfor rendering the same watertight. This is inadequate, as after thelaying of one section and the sealing of the joint the laying of anadjacent section will often disturb the position of the first, so as toopen the joint. In the present invention this difficulty has beenovercome, first, by providing means for positively drawing the sectionsinto firm contact with each other, and, second, to arrange the securingdevices that those for the lower side of the conduit may be operatedfrom within the same, whereby they are accessible to the workman, asthey would not be if'arranged on the outside and beneath theconduit.

As illustrated, A is a conduit formed of any suitable material, such asconcrete, .and

of'the conduit are formed with segmental flanges C D, adapted tointerlock with coperating flanges C D on the opposite end of the sectionor the end'of an adjacent section corresponding thereto. The flanges C Dare of greater length than the cooperating flanges C D, so as to leavesegmental grooves E F between the sections when laid. The groove E isformed on the exterior of the conduit and the groove F on the interiorthereof, and the former is arranged at the top and the latter at thebottom;

The purpose of the grooves E F is to protherein. The opposite ends ofeach section vide space for the locking devices which are employed fordrawing the sections of the conduit in firm contact with each other andfor holding them in this position. These locking devices are preferablyformed by extensions H H at opposite ends of the strengthening membersB, said extensions being slotted or apertured at I I to receive lockingwedges or keys J J. Thus when the wedges are inserted in theregisterapertures of adjacent extensions H H of adjacent sections theymay be driven in, so as to exert a strong pull upon the adjacentsections to throw same into firm contact with each other. In-

. asmuch as the groove F is upon the interior of the conduit, theworkman has access to the locking devices therein when the said conduitis resting upon the bottom of the ditch.

On the other hand, the groove E being upon.

the outside the upper portion of the conduit is also accessible foroperating the locking devices. 7

In the operation of laying the conduit after the section is placedadjacent to a section already laid and drawn in firm contact therewithby the locking devices the joint may be sealed by placing cement in thegrooves E F. The cement in these grooves performs the double function ofsealin the joint to render it water-tight and also 0 embedding thelocking devices, so that they cannot become loosened. Furthermore, thegroove F beingon the bottom of the interior of the conduit and thegroove E on the upper side of the top of the conduit the cement in eachwill be prevented from running out.v

The arrangement of the groove F upon the interior and bottom side of theconduit is r05 preferably reinforced by longitudinally-exalso useful inthat it enables the flushing up tending strengthening members B,imbedded of the joint where there are any variations in thickness of theengaging ends of the sections or where one section is slightly higherthan the other. In either case the cement in the groove may be leveledofl, so as to 'form a smooth connection Without a shoulder upon whichsediment may lodge.

What we claim as our invention is- Y 1. In a sectional conduit, thecombination with abutting sections, of means for locking said sectionstogether, said sections and locking means being constructed and arrangedto permit the latter to be operated from the interior of the conduit.

2. In a sectional conduit, the combination with abutting sections, ofmeans arranged outside of the inner face of the conduit for locking saidsections together, said sections and locking means being constructed andarranged to permit the latter to be operated from within the interior ofthe concrete.

3. In a sectional conduit the' combination of abutting sections formed.with a recess opening into the interior of the conduit adjacent to thejoint,- and a locking device for said sections within said recess.

4. In a sectional conduit the combination of abutting sections formedwith a groove or recess opening into the interior of said conduit andupon the lower side thereof adjacent to the joint, and locking deviceswithin said groove or recess.

5. In a sectional conduit the combination with sections having theirends fashioned to interlock with internal and external grooves adjacentto the joint respectively on the lower and upper sides of the conduitand looking devices located in said grooves upon In testimony whereof weafiix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

HUGH J. KEENAN.

Witnesses:

JAMES P. BARRY, AMELIA WmLIAMs.

